Chile’s new president is poised to begin large-scale deportations of illegal immigrants after his success at the polls on Sunday. José Antonio Kast romped to victory over the weekend, securing more than 58% of the popular vote.

The far-right politician campaigned relentlessly on immigration and crime, promising a border wall and mass deportations of undocumented migrants. Both issues appeared to resonate strongly with the electorate, who have seen the number of foreign born people living in Chile explode in recent years. Official data show that by 2023 there were nearly two million non-nationals living in the country, a 46% increase from 2018.

The government estimates about 336,000 undocumented migrants live in Chile, many from Venezuela.

Many have complained that illegal migrants have placed enormous strain on taxpayer-funded public services.

Jeremías Alonso told the BBC that the country was simply not prepared for the influx of refugees. He rejected claims that Kast is xenophobic and said legal refugees would still be welcomed in the country.

“What Kast is saying is that foreigners should come to Chile, let them come to work, but they should enter properly through the door, not through the window,” he said.

Alonso – who helped mobilise young voters for Kast – said his working-class neighbourhood had experienced “the social changes that irregular immigration brings in terms of crime, drug addiction and security”.

Kast is a hardline conservative who has spoken positively about General Augusto Pinochet, Chile’s former right-wing dictator, whose US-backed coup led to 17 years of military rule characterised by torture, enforced disappearances and censorship.

Critics also point to Kast’s family background, noting that his German-born father was a member of the Nazi Party and that his brother served as a minister under the Pinochet regime.

The new president blamed rising crime on immigration, and skilfully tapped into public fears over safety and security.

Many voters cited organised crime, drug trafficking, thefts and carjackings as contributing towards their sense of insecurity.

The actual number of murders in Chile has fallen since hitting a peak in 2022, and several studies have indicated that migrants commit less crimes on average.

Despite his resounding win on Sunday, Kast’s party lacks a working majority in the nation’s parliament.

This means he may have to water down some of his hardline proposals – from tougher sentencing to maximum-security prisons.